Remain Faithful! Confront Evil, Don’t Be Its Friend

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

God’s children must not consent, conform, or be an ally of evil! In this week’s sermon, Pastor McCrary calls for a full resistance of today’s evil.

Introduction

I wanted to pick up where I left off in my – Without Love, We Are.  In that sermon, I called for believers to move out of the love that cares and is concerned for everyone.  Such empathetic love has grown dull in the hearts of many today, including many who profess to be God’s children.

Now, of course, many frown in disgust at the idea of loving all people, especially loving someone who despises them.  Trust me, I understand the thought, but as I have said before, our idea of love is far from what true love is.  

An example of how confused our idea of love is can be seen in something that’s happened in this land for a long time, and is even more pronounced today in whom many choose to ally with.  God’s children ought to be careful in who they choose to be an ally of.  For you to understand what I mean by that, I wish to share with you the words James wrote in James 4:4-8.

I believe that James witnessed what many of us are seeing today – so-called believers cozying up with that which stands in opposition to God.  Let this be clear today:  God’s children ought not be making friends with that which opposes the Lord.  No, the child of God ought to be standing in opposition against that which is evil.  

In my sermon today, I want to focus on:

1. Love doesn’t roll over; it fights.
2. Love doesn’t worry about being everyone’s friend.
3. Love doesn’t consent to, nor does it conform to wickedness.

What Is Evil?

But first, I want to focus on what evil is so that there is no questioning or confusion–we must recognize evil for what it is so that we do not align with it.

Evil is anything – thought or action -that opposes God and His way (will/instructions).  Therefore, evil is filled with vile passions; it is immoral, covetous, envious, malicious, greedy, murderous, and filled with strife, deceit, and lying (Rom. 1:26-32).  Jesus taught that evil comes from the heart (the soul) and defiles and corrupts not just the person who moves wickedly, but also defiles and corrupts those around them.

As Jesus told a multitude of Jews in John 8:44, those who move in such a vile manner move as their father, the devil, who was a murderer and a liar from the beginning.  The Jews with whom Jesus shared those words were under the impression that they didn’t need saving by Christ, believing He wasn’t greater than Jacob and that they were fine.  Yet, at the start of His ministry, Jesus made it clear that everyone needs to repent, as nobody but the Lord is righteous.

Many Christians are in that same boat with those Jews whom Jesus had spoken to.  The reason I say that is because many Christians truly believe they are serving God today in all they do.  Yet, their works make it clear that they not only aren’t a servant of God, but that they are children of Satan.

In 1 John 3:10, John wrote, “In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.”

To be clear, if you are moving maliciously against anybody today for this reason or that reason, you move in a manner that defies the Lord.  When you move out of hate towards anyone, you show who it is that you serve, and that is certainly not the Lord.

Resist Satan, Resist Evil

You see, Christ commanded His disciples (all followers) to resist the way of evil by commanding us all to love.  Jesus commanded that we love our enemies, not hate them (Matt. 5:43-44).  Jesus commanded that we love our neighbors, not to be greedy and selfish (Matt. 22:36-40).  Jesus commanded that we help, but not to do it in a manner where we seek to be praised and glorified by others (Matt. 6:1-4).

Beyond the command, Christ commissioned (tasked) His disciples (all followers) to resist (oppose/counteract) the teaching of evil by instructing us to teach others to move with grace and mercy, loving the Lord wholeheartedly (Matt. 28:19-20).  The work of a Christian is to stand against those who move wickedly!

Now, because the work of the Christian is to resist wickedness, scripture shows us that Jesus shared a very important warning about what we will face.  Jesus warned His disciples, saying, “You will be hated for My name’s sake (Matt. 10:22; 24:9).”  Jesus warned, saying, “If you were of the world, the world would love its own.  Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you (John 15:19).”

If you choose to walk with Christ, walking in spirit and truth, resisting Satan, wickedness, and evil, prepare to be hated by the world.  If you move in spirit and in truth, understand that not everyone will love you!

Consenting and Conforming to Sin

I feel that is something that must be said because too many “Christians” are cozying up to evil and its workers.

How one consents and conforms to sin

One of the most disgusting things I have seen recently was seeing a “spiritual leader” give honor to a golden image of a man who does not hide his desire to be glorified and praised by others.  If we should give honor to anything or anyone, shouldn’t it be the God who supplies our every need, makes a way for us, and has saved us from sin?

Yet, many “Christians” are cozying up to what is evil today by justifying the works of evil, while also justifying their own evil.  Shouldn’t we be the example of those who go before the Lord to seek His mercy and obtain His grace in times of trouble?

Yet, many “Christians” are cozying up to what is evil today by supporting that which is most vile.  In Romans 12:2, you will see that Paul urged believers, saying, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Why are “Christians” consenting to evil?

So, why is it that some “Christians” are consenting and conforming to that which opposes the way of God?  I have three answers that I wish to share with all of you.

Answer 1:  They’re not of the Lord – not a child of God.  Now, I believe this answer to be the most obvious answer, though some may believe this to be the easy answer.  However, I will point to what John wrote in 1 John 2:15 to support this answer.  John stated that if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father isn’t in them.

Now, there are many who proclaim to be of the Lord, but their works and what they rejoice in make it clear they are not of the Lord.  These “Christians” are those whom Jesus said are wolves in sheep’s clothing.  

These “Christians” are those whom Jude warned of, certain men, apostates, who crept in unnoticed and turned the grace of God into lewdness (Jude 4).

These “Christians” are false teachers who secretly bring in destructive heresies, blaspheming the truth, and in their works, they deny the Lord (2 Pet. 2:1-3).  Though they brought in their heresies secretly, as Jesus said, by their fruits, we recognize they are not of the Lord.

Answer 2: The Holy Spirit isn’t with them.  Now, this answer should also be obvious because one can only receive the Holy Spirit by being of true faith.  When one receives the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will lead and guide them into all truth (John 16:13).  What this means is the Holy Spirit is going to lead them to move out of holiness, good conduct, not to move in a manner that disgraces the name of Christ.

Adding on to the role the Holy Spirit plays in the lives of all who are of true faith is that through the Holy Spirit, the peace of God guards our hearts and minds from that which is unholy.  Without the Holy Spirit’s guidance, one would not be guided in that which is good, and without His protection, one would be easily consumed by that which is evil.

Answer 3:  Fear.  Some fear what the wicked will do to them if they resist them.  So, rather than resisting evil, some choose to submit to it, bending to its will and pleasures, hoping to be on evil’s good side rather than its bad side.  From a place of fear, some will move in a manner to be friends with evil, rather than to be evil’s enemy.  

Let us understand that consenting and conforming to evil only gives way to more evil, wickedness, and corruption!  As the old saying goes, evil is the type that you can’t give it an inch, it will want to take the entire yard.  When those who are supposed to be God’s children consent and conform to wickedness, it will give way to destruction.

Don’t Make Friends With Evil

I want to share the warning that Christ shared with the apostles when it comes to the thought of wanting to be loved rather than be hated.  In Luke 6:26, Jesus warned, saying, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets.”

The false prophets that Jesus referred to were the prophets during the kingdom years of Israel and Judah.  In Israel and in Judah, the people had chosen to live sinfully, raising up their own prophets because God’s prophets rebuked their wicked living.  Their false prophets justified their sins, which eventually led to the conquering of Israel and Judah.

As a follower of Christ, your aim ought not be to move in a manner where everyone loves you.  You see, if everyone loves, that means you’re a people pleaser, rather than one who speaks truth.  If everyone loves you, there is a problem!

I want you to keep in mind what Jesus said to the apostles when He said that a servant is not greater than his master (John 15:18).  Christ was despised and hated by the world, and do you understand why?  Christ was despised and hated because He lived and walked in the truth, defying what the world has proclaimed to be the right way to live.

Follow in Christ’s example

Jesus commanded us to love our enemies, but to be clear, He did not command us to be friends with those who oppose the Lord.

Now, some of you may frown at this and point to Christ being “friendly” with sinners.  To you, I will say this:  Do not confuse showing grace for being friends with.

Yes, Jesus sat with and ate with sinners, which He did out of grace, but I want you to see the purpose in how Christ moved.  Christ sat and ate with sinners, teaching and rebuking them!  He taught sinners the way that is holy, commanding sinners, saying, “As I have loved you, love one another (John 13:34-35).”

And again, I repeat to you in this message, Jesus condemned nobody, not even those who opposed Him while He was in the world.  As Jesus told Nicodemus, God didn’t send His only begotten Son to condemn the world, but to save it (John 3:17).  So, rather than judge and condemn the enemy, Jesus called for repentance, telling them that the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matt. 4:17).

So, I want to be completely clear on two notes.  Firstly, Jesus didn’t fear evil nor did He consent to it.  In other words, Jesus didn’t roll over in His grace, but rather, He opposed wickedness!  Secondly, Jesus did not consider sin to be His friend.  In fact, Jesus said this:  “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you (John 15:14).”

Don’t Fear Evil, Resist Evil

If you’re consenting to and rolling over to that which opposes the Lord, defiling yourself, why would you think that Christ is a friend of yours?  This is why I say to you to reject evil!  If you’re friends with evil, Christ is not going to be friends with you!

Let us not mistake how we are to move in grace today.  Let us consider moving in this manner of love:  Does love fear evil and submit itself to it?  Absolutley not!

John wrote, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18).”  What or whom should you, God’s children, fear?  Must I remind you that you dwell in fellowship with the Lord?  Must I remind you that God is with you everywhere you go?  Must I remind you that you’re in fellowship with the Sovereign?

God, I want you to understand, is your provider!  The Lord supplies your every need!  Moreover, the Lord is your shield and protection from all hurt, harm, and evil!  So, you ought not to fear anything or anyone because there is nobody who can overcome the Lord!  Therefore, you ought to move confidently in your grace!

Let us consider that in that confidence, our love ought to draw nearer to God and move as He moves.  I repeat to you that Jesus rolled over for no one, not even for death itself!  

As Jesus boldly stood against the scribes and Pharisees, we must stand against the scribes and Pharisees of today–all of those false teachers who proudly call themselves “Christians,” but they are filled with wickedness.

As Jesus boldly stood against Satan, we must also stand in this day against him and his workers of wickedness!  Resist the devil!  Resist giving in to his way!  Tell Satan to get behind you and push forward because that is what love does–love pushes forward!

Now is not a moment for you to roll over to those who move wickedly today, honoring evil, smiling while they do it!  Now is a time that we must remain faithful to the Lord and His way!  So, reject today’s evil, don’t make friends with.  Stand firm in the love that cares, is concerned, and won’t back down from doing what is good, by loving all people.